My Reason to go on (Name is soon to change)
by Rushed Pulse
Summary: Years have past after being captured by the military, by Colonel Richard and they want to control me, make me a new weapon. After killing so many of them I expected them to end me when they had the chance. They shouldv'e...
1. Chapter 1

**Hiatus is up ladies and gents! I said I would make a continuation of Ever Evolving and I was not planning to go back on that. Firstly, I recommend reading my last fanfic Ever Evolving or you may be lost at quite a few points in this. This whole thing will be written from Cole's POV. For now there will be no new infected because I think the first chapter needs to show how things have progressed since Ever Evolving. I will be slow to update since there still are some personal details for me to handle in real life but I will do what I can when I can. So without further ado, Read, Review, and Enjoy!**

**P.S.: Y'know that ice cream thing in chapter 9 of Ever Evolving when Jenny brought up how Cole would kiss her for a taste of her ice cream? Well a guy used it on his friend... Currently they are going steady. Congrats guys! My best wishes go out to you.**

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My daughter Alice, she is the only good thing left in my life. I was left to the soldiers and Colonel Richard by Stephanie who abandoned me long ago. Ever since they dragged me in their base, they've kept this helmet on my head to keep me blind and keep me from biting anyone, not that I've tried. They want to control me but so far nothing they try works. It's been years that they've been trying, now I think they finally found what can get their leash around my neck. My own daughter Alice. She's five years old now and they let her in my room, with armed escort of course and I'm strapped to the wall, so she can talk to me. I don't think she realizes what I am, that or she doesn't think I'm like the other infected. Either way, I get to see her the more I comply.

"Hi daddy!"

It's time for another visit and I have the usual smile on my face to greet her. She has grown to be quite adorable. Every time I see her she has a few braids in her blonde hair and she wears a dress with shorts on. For some reason she carries a white stuffed rabbit around as well, likely a gift from Enid who is taking care of her now.

After telling me how she is and what Enid has been teaching her, she asks the worst question in the world to me.

"Daddy, what are you? The other kids say you're a mean monster, but Miss Vasten says you are nice. I think you're nice too!"

I wish I could answer her but all she would hear is me grumbling and I don't want her to hear that. It tears my heart out only being able to listen. I've remained silent so long and communicated with her with just my expressions so long I think she takes me for a mute.

"Daddy-"

"Sweetie, visiting time is over."

"Already? But I wanna stay longer!"

The soldiers always feel so insecure with Alice being in the same room as me. As a result they constantly cut our time short. My daughter doesn't like them either and she tries over and over to stall and see me even longer. Sometimes she will run from the soldiers and hug me. I can't hug her back with my arms restrained but when ever she hugs me I nuzzle her forehead to try showing her I love her and I would never hurt her despite being a monster. They would always pry her off of me though and take her back to Enid's.

"C'mon, you know you aren't allowed to touch!"

"But why?"

Her voice fades as they get further from my room. That's when I always lose my sunny disposition and break my bounds holding me. The door is too strong to break down so in the time it takes them to safely sedate me and rebind me, I get some exercise and stretch as much as I can. I never break my binds when she is in my room, it'd scare her seeing me get shot at. This day was different however, no I didn't try to break loose in front of Alice. After I finished my stretches I waited for someone with a dart gun to come in and shoot me, but nobody came. Instead I heard the most annoying voice over the intercom they set up in this room.

"Good morning Cole."

It's the colonel, likely wanting me to do some lousy tricks for him like an obedient dog.

"I have an offer for you, I'm hoping you'll cooperate for once."

"Does it matter whether I accept or refuse? You can't understand me, dumbass, so you'll just say we're doing what you want anyway."

"Well listen, I'll give you more time with your daughter if you do."

"You just keep going on don't you?"

"I know you want to see her again. What do you think?"

"... I think you're a limp dick prostitute..."

"We are in agreement then."

"Ladies and gentlemen, your limp dick prostitute of a colonel!"

Mocking this nitwit is one of the few comforts I have in this place. Sucks he doesn't understand me though, the pissed look on his face would put a smile on mine, that's for damn sure! Regardless, he wants to give me more time with my baby girl then I'll play the obedient dog for now. Within the next ten seconds of our conversation the door opened and finally here came Enid to put me to sleep with a dart.

Enid, she was in my squad before I left the army to stay with jenny. She was like a sister to me, so timid but always smiling when I was around. It took me some time to remember her. To think I could forget her, makes me ashamed to say she was my close friend. Ever since she adopted Alice, she hasn't served as a soldier. She started letting her hair grow and wore civilian clothing. Honestly the first time I met her I thought she was a guy. She's the one they send in to keep me calm while something is done to me. She does what she can to protect me so I do my best to keep calm when I see her. She's the perfect one to shoot me whether it's with a dart or an actual bullet in case of an emergency. Lucky for me this time it was a dart.

When I finally woke up I found that asshole Richard standing in front of me and I'm wearing some kind of uniform. The darts make me sluggish when I wake up but I don't let that show in front of these guys. One less weakness they know about. Anyway, It was weird that Richard was in front of me today, just glad he was quick to explain.

"Good to see you're awake finally, I have a present for you."

"No thanks, knowing you it's a damn stick to shove up my ass."

"Look at the new outfit you are wearing. Its a fireproof insulated uniform my men wear but I had it modified for you. We completely removed the right sleeve for your grotesque hand and arm and instead put a bracer on your wrist."

"Oh how nice... Do you give all the infected such nice things?"

"It even comes with a handy function in case you forget who's in charge. Allow me to demonstrate..."

As he snapped his fingers I saw one of his boys from the lab hit a button on a computer behind him. I felt my entire body crunch up and I heard straps tightening and burn on winches. When it stopped I was in a fetal position and seriously pissed off.

"You forget I'm your boss and we wad you up. The helmet is also new-"

"Fucker, I knew there would be some kind of leash on this thing but this is too damn much!"

"-Quit growling, I'm not done. The helmet is also new. It has a small camera to feed us whatever you see. It also has an alarm that we can activate whenever we want, when you hear this sound-"

The colonel pointed to his assistant and again he hit a button. My head started ripping apart from a high pitched noise so loud even a deaf man would stick knives into his ears. With his little show over, he signaled again for the noise to be shut off.

"-I want you to return to the base immediately!"

"Return? Does that mean I can go outside?"

"Boys, put him in the container, we're sending him on his first task."

Without getting an answer, I was rolled into a large metal box where the straps loosened and I was able to stand up. It was way too cramped for me to move around but that was the least of my worries when I was starting to be wheeled out the building. The sun light beamed into the box through a small hole and I flinched as it hit my eyes. It'd been so long since I was outside, it felt like I was blind the entire time and just started to see again. While rolling me to the gate I could hear the soldiers pushing people away as they talked amongst themselves. They said and whispered things like "It's that new bioweapon." and "Why do they have such a monster inside the walls?!" or even "I wonder if he's, y'know, packing..." That last one really makes me worry about that woman's context.

The box stopped suddenly and I hit my face on the front of it. Assholes could've given me a warning at the very least. Not like they care about my well-being anyhow. After readjusting the helmet I heard them shout for the front gate to be opened. With that opened they rolled me out and I heard a familiar voice outside.

"Cole, it's Enid. I'm going to let you out now. Please keep calm."

She was as wary as ever and for good reason, never have they let me outside so they had no idea what I might do. They undo all the locks and let me step out, Enid was waiting patiently for me.

"Listen, Richard wanted me to brief you on your mission."

"Brief? You make it sound like I'm still a soldier."

"Er... Well anyway, scouts' reports say there's a horde of multipule unknown infected headed this way. Too many for soldiers to handle, but you were able to kill numerous troops on your own so... go get em'."

She sounded so tense, it must've been weird for her to bring up me killing soldiers in front of other soldiers who were watching me with guns raised. She couldn't even look me in the eyes so I decided to not to let it bother me too much and just go. As I started walking off she pat me on the back of my head where I heard a click. I paused only a moment but thought nothing of it at the time.

"Go on Cole."

As Enid's words reached me I felt my grin stretch ear to ear inside my helmet and I ran as fast as I could in the direction Enid pointed. Even with all these things on my body that are meant to keep me under control I finally felt free. The air I was breathing, the light I saw, the pavement I felt with each step, it all made me feel free and like I was myself again. If only I still had a beating heart... There'd be no slowing it.

Despite how I felt though, it was far from the time to enjoy myself. With a horde heading towards the home of my daughter and Enid, I had to get my head in the game and attack them. I shook my head to clear my mind and started off to start a massacre. It'd been so long since I last fought so I was unsure if my abilities were up to par but I guess I'd have to worry about that when the time came.

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**Here's a thought: it's about the traditional zombies, not these guys, I mean the foot dragging, lazy eyed, moaners. Why do they moan? They aren't alive so they don't need to breath or they might even lack the ability like they lack the ability to feel pain. How do you moan if you don't breath? Anyway if you like this first chapter, have any infected ideas you didn't get to me last time or if you just want to speak your mind, write a review.**


	2. Chapter 2

**So I wasn't sure how to introduce the new cast of characters and infected. I received a few suggestions from readers in between Ever Evolving and this so I do have some material along with some of my own. There's also the fact that years have passed by so if you can get 5 specials after the first couple weeks of the outbreak, what would we have after 5 years? I have plans to go to extremes, far from the normal human anatomy from extensive mutation. These guys can already get big as a house, small as a dog, spit acid, explode... I really to want to put in some insane infected but as always I will gladly accept infected ideas from any reader, within reason of course. I mean goes nuts and all but I just don't want a zombie T-rex with eight legs and tweety bird wings... Let's get to it then, this chapter's infected was sent in by Ghost2291, let's give him a round of applause. Read, Review, Enjoy!**

**Bio: Trapper**

**This grotesque infected comes in many shapes and sizes from male to female, civilian to military, young to old. The single common theme is the large slit down the center of the body where the decaying organs and partially coagulated blood spill from. This slit is not a wound but rather a secondary mouth. The trapper is quite slow but durable and can consume its own weight each day though it is a mystery as to where the nourishment goes with the stomach hanging out from the abdomen. When this infected has found prey it will open the slit and use appendages formed from the in tact flesh remaining to reach out. Once it has its prey inside the slit, the ribs are used to stab and tear the victim to make it easy to consume. There are two variations of trappers. Firstly is the mobile trapper which will of course give chase. The other is the camper version that is so decayed it has lost the ability to move. As a result it looks similar to just another mangled dead body that lines the streets. When prey draws near it will reach just the same as if it were a mobile trapper. If it fails it will be quite easy to kill or just avoid.**

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The streets covered in blood, decaying buildings, dead lining the sidewalks, not a thing has changed in five years. I'm unsure of what I was expecting to see but whatever it was, I was wrong. All the time spent locked up I had hoped this world would be slowly healing and correcting itself but it's in just as much disrepair as ever. Now I was in the heart of the ruined city.

Enid told me my targeted horde was in this direction but I couldn't see a thing, it was already turning dark and was becoming hard to see through this helmet. Was it possible the reports were wrong? No, there's no chance they would make a mistake concerning an entire horde and these flesh eaters. Could it be they changed direction. Either way I was hoping to celebrate my day out with some blood shed, and with this damn silence I was seriously beginning to get agitated. I was cooped up too long and I wanted to have a fight.

"Where the fuck are you guys?!"

"Right here!"

I wasn't expecting an answer for my yelled question but as soon as I felt someone's foot land on the back of my head, that didn't matter. I staggered forward as my attacker jumped over in front of me, using my head as a spring board. All I could tell about this person was it was female from the voice and that because she understood my question, she was an infected. As for what I could see, the dark surrounding us only allowed me to make out her two long pony tails and somewhat short demeanor.

"Hey there soldier boy! Get separated from your group? Sucks to be you to face me of all infected."

She actually thought I was one of those damn soldiers. Technically I was at one time but now I just felt insulted.

"You are arrogant as shit, aren't you kid?"

"So you understand me? Oh I get it, you got infected then your friends abandoned you!"

"Shut up and come at me, I'm getting bored."

"With pleasure!"

I stood my ground as she made the first move, a swift forward jump that somehow sent her 20 feet from her position to mine. With all her momentum she spun her body around and shot her calf to the side of my head. She managed to catch me off guard as I flew from one sidewalk to another. I just lied there and thought to myself what this infected could be and how long it'd take to kill her, even what kind of handicap to use to make this last longer. All the while she started to mock me.

"Holy shit! I know you aren't a common infected since you can speak so why the hell are you on the ground already?! Damn... such a let down, whatever..."

"This should be fun after all."

"Huh?"

I felt no pain from the impact, just shocked from her movements. I pulled myself to my feet and brushed off my shoulders.

"Tell you what kid, I'll kick your ass with one hand. Hows that sound?"

After finishing my words, I put my right arm with my claws behind my back and awaited her reply.

"Well?"

"You asshole! And you called my arrogant?!"

"If I use my right arm then you'd die too soon."

"Fuck you!"

Again she repeated her attack just the same as before, this time I brought my hand up and caught her leg. The scared whimper that escaped her was priceless. With a quick jerk I smashed her into the concrete and slung her across the road. As she smashed through a window, I chased her through.

The smell of rot was the first thing to hit me, carcasses littered the floor. The bodies were mangled and torn the shreds with the bones shattered and scattered around. I was distracted as I inspected the bodies to learn what had done it and the thing that did it took advantage of the distraction.

From the dark came anotherinfected infected that looked like it'd already been disemboweled. It was a sicken sight, so I took my claw from behind my back and drove it deep into the infected. My claw slid in too easily and it seemed to be stuck. I asked for fight and now I was getting them left and right. Couldn't be much happier.

"Hey, mind letting me have my hand back?!"

"Course I mind! It's mine now."

The infected's chest started moving and squirming along a thin line going from its neck to it's abdomen. The feeling inside was disturbing, I felt something trying to pull my arm clean off.

"You chose a bad lunch dumbass. I don't play well with someone else's stomach..."

With my free hand I gripped his throat, and with my claw inside him I ripped him in half at the stomach where my hand rested, it was like pulling apart rotting fruit. I pulled slop from slop and freed my hand. Was this thing really the cause for the many dead surrounding us? It was so weak and fragile. I wasn't sure but it didn't matter now.

With my claw free I dropped the squirming top half to the floor and flashed my right hand to him. Through his bloody gurgles I heard a faint scream of pain and terror. It was a pitiful sight watching it try to crawl away, leaving pieces of him to fall out behind him. This violence, this is what I missed most while trapped in that damned base.

"Where are you going maggot?! I'm not done until you're dead!"

I planted my foot over his spine that dangled from his back and watched as he scratched the flooring trying to crawl away. As I raised my other foot into the air above it, it flipped over to see what I was doing. Last thing it saw was my foot coming down on its head. Not the most pleasant way to go out. Sure he would've prefered to not see it coming.

With that annoyance dead it was time to find that infected from before. Lucky for me she came to me. As I stepped off from the thing under me, I felt a sharp pain shoot through my neck as her teeth entered me and she wrapped her arms around me. It felt so familiar to me. As I felt fluid rush into my veins, I knew what this was, I knew what the infected was, I knew who it was.

"This trick won't work on me again, Stephanie."

That was all I needed to say to make the teeth leave my neck while a grin spread across my face. Though her teeth left me, her arms did not. They became tighter around me and I started to hear sobbing.

"I thought you were stronger than that Stephanie. Don't start crying, jeez."

She didn't let go of me to talk, she stayed behind me and lied her head against mine.

"Cole... How are you here?"

"I got out early for good behavior."

"Shut up!"

I flinched and tried to turn my head to face her, still couldn't see her face.

"Cole, I thought you were dead... When I got to the base, I saw them dragging your body inside the gate..."

"They didn't want to kill me, I'm their new toy. They sent me here to kill a horde of infected and in exchange I get to see my daughter."

The reunion was interrupted suddenly when I heard a screech in my helmet. It was debilitating and dropped me to my knees grasping my head. When that was done I heard the intercom.

_"Cole! Did you forget I had a camera put in that helmet?! I send you to kill infected and you decide on a conjugal?! Kill that thing then get back to work!"_

The colonel, no matter how far away I am, he will always try to control me. I shifted my attention to Stephanie and placed my hands on her shoulders.

"Cole! Whats the matter?!"

"Get out of here!"

"But-"

"Shut the hell up and run!"

Stephanie knew better then to argue with me, so she turned and fled. Before she got out of my sight though, the screeching came back and forced a shout from me.

_"I told you to kill it! If you won't kill even a single infected when ordered then what point is there to keeping you alive?!"_

Before I could get up and start moving again, I felt a small impact on the top of the helmet. When I looked up, I saw Stephanie trying to rip it from my head.

"I'm sorry I'm not running Cole! But I'll get that thing off of you!"

The banging was only adding to the pain, I didn't even think it was going to help. It didn't at all help when the restraints kicked in all balled me up. The banging and scratching continued on my head, I could feel my head ripping apart from the screeching. I slowly started fading out.

Was a loud noise really the thing that would kill me? That's what I was beginning to think at the time, up to the point I heard something pop on the back of my head. The noise stopped and Stephanie ceased her banging like a caveman. It was all replaced by the sound of sparks and things breaking. The restraints loosened and  
I stood up to examine what exactly had happened.

Stephanie was jumping around praising herself like a child for helping like that. She was hitting me on the top of my helmet though, not the back... Fucking idiot... Still, what broke?

_"Cole..."_

I was not in the mood for another PSA from that damn colonel.

_"This is Enid, I made this recording into the helmet for the day you would finally be free."_

Enid, when she hit my on the back of the my head she must've switched this thing on. I jumped through the window so Stephanie wouldn't hear what was going on.

"The fuck is going on?"

_"I sabotaged the helmet so it would malfunction some time after leaving. In exchange for doing this I'd like you to do one thing for me. I'm making this sometime before you are being sent out and I'm not sure what reason it is that you were sent out for but I'm sure it will be an emergency, no other reason Richard would set you loose. If this mission you've been sent on is for the safety of the base, please complete it."_

Even after being freed I still can't be left alone.

_"I'm sorry to ask this but if it's too much for the soldiers then you are the only one who can protect me and Alice."_

After hearing that, my attitude did a 180.

"Alice... No way in hell am I letting infected lay a finger on her"

I stepped back in through the window where Stephanie was observing the remains of both the humans and the infected.

"Shit Cole, how the hell did you do that?"

"What do you mean?"

"Trappers are serious trouble and you just tore it apart!"

"Was it really so strong?"

"Damn straight!"

Stephanie seemed as easily impressed as always, the trapper as she called it was easy to kill.

"...Stephanie."

She responded by wrapping her arms around me again.

"Now you and me can get out of this shit hole!"

"No. I have to complete the mission I was given."

"What?! Screw that! Why would you do that?!"

"If I don't then infected will overrun the base and take Alice!"

Stephanie was taken aback by my words and looked to the ground with her hands now covering her mouth.

"I'm coming with you Cole!"

"Stephanie..."

"Cole, that thing in there was a trapper and trust me, that was a weak one! You'll need my help!"

"Hey-"

"No Cole! Alot has changed and you don't know anything about all the new infected out here!"

"Stephanie-"

"I'm not done yet, I was a good fighter five years ago and all but now I'm even a match for you! You want my help! You _need_ my help!"

"Stephanie, shut up for two seconds. I'd be glad to have you along."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, but just so you know I was holding back against you."

Stephanie hadn't changed much in all these years. Despite looking around 24 she was still so childish and clingy, even so it was good to see my old friend again. As we searched for the horde she kept going on about things that had happened to her in my absence. Joined a horde for some time, lived in an abandoned penthouse, even took down a tank thanks to her venom.

Then came the more important facts she had discovered while on her own. First was the condition all infected were in. With most remaining humans tucked away somewhere safe, there was little food left. The only way to eat was to come together and make hordes to raid hideouts or bases just like the one my daughter lived in. Luckily it hardly ever goes well and their hunger gets the best of them, they eat eachother in a frenzy before they can even reach their target. I could only hope that's already happened to the horde we were tracking. As for any infected who wasn't joining a horde, they were eating the commons. Seems the infected were finally dragged to the humans' sad state, fighting just to survive, eating anything you can find even if it'll kill you later.

Next thing Stephanie started telling me about was the mutations. In a matter of weeks, infected of all sorts started to arise. I could only imagine what else has come of this grotesque disease. She told me of special infected that could swim like a fish, fly like a bird, run like a damn wild animal. It wasn't too worrying unless they attacked the base though. Couldn't give a damn otherwise.

"Anything else I need to know?"

"One more thing, unique infected."

"The hell is that, some super race infected?"

"No Cole, we are unique infected."

"Start from the top here, you lost me."

Stephanie stopped in her tracks before taking a deep breathe, followed by a very long winded explanation on unique infected.

"... Well you see, you and I are both unique because you are the only bruja and I'm the only tweaker in the world. Nobody I've met has ever heard of or seen any others. Along with being one of a kind a unique is also immune to mental and physical decay. We don't rot like others nor do we go insane from our brain cells dying off-"

"Stop! What did you just say?"

"What part?"

"The mental decay thing."

"Right, thought that'd stand out to you. No doubt Cass is on your mind now."

She was right, Cass went insane and so I was forced to kill her all those years ago.

"...Yeah, she did come to mind..."

"That's because she was a normal special infected, not a unique. The mental decay starts in the commons before they turn to specials but it doesn't start at all for uniques. Also I noticed something about it, I think it's genetic. You and your brother, both unique. My sister was too before... well you know. Something else that's interesting is our bodies still work."

"Our bodies... wait what?"

"We may be dead but everything is working in there."

"You mean like heart and lungs? Sorry but I haven't felt a pulse in my chest since I was a human."

"Well not your heart but your lungs do, don't you ever feel winded? We also need our livers to keep us healthy. More of a drawback sometimes."

"And how do you know this?"

"Well I saw this one... Nevermind, you wouldn't believe me."

"tell me."

"It's a secret!"

"Fine..."

I had no reason to believe her, but I had no reason not to believe her either. In the end it wasn't important because if our bodies functioned or not, what would it change? I'm still an infected and so is she. The humans would still shoot us for what we are and we would rip them apart because of the same exact reason. Still, I was admittedly curious what it is she saw that made her think such things.

"We should keep moving, still need to find that horde."

"You got it big man!"

As we continued our march through the streets, my mind raced to figure out what it was Stephanie could've seen. Did she see something inside an infected? Maybe she killed one and made a discovery then. The subject was bugging me the entire time. I hardly even noticed as Stephanie dragged me into a towering building so we could get a better view. Regardless, it did help us in the end when we saw corpses of different infected litter the streets in front of us. We looked down through the window to watch the last two infected, another trapper and a boxer, start fighting. Stephanie was right, these new hordes don't last after all.

"Wanna get 'em Cole?"

"Let them kill eachother, whichever one survives isn't a threat to the base."

"Damn, I was hoping you would put on a show for little me."

"You want a show? Watch those maggots rip into eachother."

Stephanie let out a humph and a sigh before letting it go and watching the two infected fight. It wasn't much of a show for her though. Soon as the boxer knocked the trapper in the air it spun around and landed on the boxer's head. From my prior experience that day I knew that was one of the places you didn't want to stick your head in. We watched as it ran around in a panic trying to get it off of him off. It became incredibly stupid in a moment as the boxer rammed a wall. The trapper was indeed killed but the impact also crushed the boxer's head.

"Well that was boring."

"Well whatever. So Cole, now that you don't have anything else to do... wanna come with me?"

"It's that or go back to the colonel, fuck that. Looks like I'm sticking with you then."

* * *

**Ending felt lacking here but I swear I have a reason for that so don't bite my head off for it. Anyway, I still would like some infected if anyone is willing to share. Don't worry, you will be accredited, or not if you don't want to. If nobody is going to then I will simply use one of my own creation.**


	3. Chapter 3

**I was really hoping this would get a little more attention, or atleast more reviews since I got so many people giving me infected. Anyway, in the bios I'll now be adding whether it is a unique or a special. Difference being unique is one of a kind and special is many. In other news, I've been asked to explain how Cole turned and what he did before the outbreak. I already made that clear multipule times and in multipule ways. Go back and read Ever Evolving. I do appreciate tat these things are sent to me with PM though, shows you guys are getting it now. Still, being asked that has sparked an idea. Nothing is final yet, but I might be willing to share more on the thought later. Our next infected comes from another one of the readers, Spy of Influence. He even gave me a character to use, lets hear it for the spartan! Read, Review, Enjoy!**

**Bio:Spartan**

**(Classification: Special)**

**The spartan is one of the stranger and more dangerous infected. Due to development in small muscles meant for body control, this infected is agile and quick. These infected travel in small groups amounting around seven or more. This infected can be either female or male. The spartan received its name because of its use of tools. With a spear or club made from scrap metal in one hand and their strong physique they look like a spartan soldier. Of course they wear much more than a loincloth. (thank god) The attire of a spartan is usually thick clothing, such as coats and jeans. The most unusual quality of this infected is its passive nature, it will not attack unless provoked or one of its group is attacked. Infact it is almost kind to survivors while being more aggressive towards infected. People have reported they were helped by one of these infected before it ran away from them. Other times when people were too brash and shot it on sight have incited an enraged state in which it cares little for its own well being and will attack indiscriminately.**

* * *

"Dammit Stephanie, you'll rip my head off before you get the helmet off like this!"

"Sorry, should we try to pry it with something?"

Even being free to do as I please is hindered by the colonel, with the helmet still tightly fastened on my head there'd be no way for me to eat and keep from starving. Enid thought of everything when she broke the helmet, even leaving a message for me, only thing she forgot was for this fucking thing to come off my head!

"That's enough already! Shit, my neck is hurting now."

"Sorry Cole, but we both know that even if it hurts, we need to get it off."

"Yeah yeah..."

Then again if it had come off my head, there would be no guarantee I'd have gotten her message. Not that I needed to hear it anyways with the hordes killing themselves now, but I can see her logic.

"That's it, I'm just going to bash my head on the wall til it opens up!"

"Cole, quit talking silly and let me help you."

Stephanie was surprised when I was true to my word and rammed into the nearest wall. Unfortunately for me the helmet was made much better than the wall and I just smashed it to rubble.

"Fuck! Richard, you asshole!"

"Chill out now! What if that thing does crack open and you crack your skull open too?!"

"I've survived worse, you know that."

"For fuck sake... C'mon, I think I might know somebody who can help you out."

"Who?"

"He's an infected named Lance, he knows alot about this military grade crap. If anyone can get it off you, it's him."

"Whatever, if he attacks me though then I'm making you my human shield."

"Fine by me, haven't been human in a long time."

I was twitching and fidgeting inside the helmet as she lead me down the stairs and out onto the streets. Stephanie did have alot of time to make friends out here without me around to kill everyone. Why her and this Lance guy didn't up and kill each other to eat like the infected I'd just seen, I didn't know. The first thought that popped in my head was maybe she seduced him like she tried with me so long ago.

"Hey big boy, whats with the silence?"

"Huh? Oh, sorry Stephanie, I'm thinking."

"Oh I know what you're thinking."

"Tell me then. What am I thinking?"

"You want a piece of my ass, don'tcha?"

"No... well, close."

"Close hm? Well whenever you're ready, say the word."

...Yep, she fucked him.

"So how far is this guy?"

Stephanie raised her hand and pointed to a bridge just a couple blocks down the road.

"He's under there."

"Is he a troll?"

"Nope, you'll see when we get there."

She couldn't see but I rolled my eyes inside of my helmet. I could feel the impatience building up and making my itch. I wanted the damn headgear off and I wanted it off now. I think Stephanie could tell, every time I twitched the slightest, she looked back at me with a worried look on her face and let out a sigh.

"Cole, you need to just ease up already. Getting tense like this won't help."

That was it, I was sick of going slow and sick of wearing another leash given to me by Colonel "Stick up the ass" Richard.

"Stephanie, come here."

"Oh, so you want to have fun now? well- whoa!"

Before Stephanie could even finish making another sexual remark, I lifted her into my arms and started a dash to the bridge. Stephanie was a bit surprised but she knew how impatient and brash I was so I'm sure she saw it coming.

"Which side of the bridge? This side or opposite?"

"What?"

"Which side are we going to?"

"This side, now slow down!"

Before she knew what was happening I had already jumped from the bridge down to the river bank. A dumb decision if it were anyone else but me. The drop was close to fifty feet but I landed straight up on my feet. Though I stood up and didn't even tremble from the landing, as I let Stephanie out of my arms so she could recuperate I felt my legs go numb and my back crack. At least it didn't kill me, Stephanie on the other hand was about to.

"Cole... What the fuck man!? Are you crazy!? You could've killed the both of us!"

"But I didn't."

"Don't fucking care man! Don't fucking care! Don't you ever, _ever_ do some crazy shit like that again! Fuck shit ass bitch fuck!"

"Language..."

"Oh fuck you Cole!"

"Bet you'd like that..."

"What was that?!"

"Nothing..."

Stephanie was trembling and shaking with fear, her body still not able to realize we were safe on the ground. The way she wobbled around made her look like a surly drunk who just got off a roller coaster. Stephanie bit into her finger and started to drool into the open wound, letting her own venom get her inebriated for real. She needed it just to settle herself down enough to look around and find a sewer run off.

"He's in here, wait here though. These guys don't like new faces."

"Wait, "guys"? Plural? How many are in there?"

"Like 6. Just shut up and wait here so I can tell them I brought you."

Yet again, I'm straight back to waiting with what little patience I had. I had no clue how long she would be running through the sewer and that just made it even worse on me. I started to itch in anticipation, actually scratching myself, not that it could get through my new suit. Few minutes passed and I began to tap my foot at a rapid pace. Another few minutes and I was pacing back and forth.

"Dammit, I'm sick of this. Hell with it, I'll going in now."

"Heads up trooper!"

"The fu-"

I wasn't even given the chance to swear before someone decked me. When I looked at the asshole who took the shot at me, all I saw was a greasy dark haired prick dressed in a military uniform. It wasn't one like mine though, it was one that was used before the infection broke out.

"So, now I get to deal with a rogue maggot. Fuck it and fuck you."

I raised my middle finger and let him bull rush me like any pissed off grunt does. Before he could even reach me, I brought my leg up and planted my foot in his mouth. He reeled back and spat blood in my direction like a invitation for me to rush him this time.

"Shouldn't fuck with a superior officer kid..."

My turn came and did like he wanted me to, I rushed him. I wasn't made a lieutenant for taking orders though, I got my rank because I was a fighter and I could take anything. He tried to swing a right hook but I ducked low and uppercut him sending him reeling back again. By then I was getting bored so I followed up and grabbed his uniform and pulled him into a headbutt. I could hear his nose shatter through my helmet. I was ready to kill him then but he fell on his ass and started to wobble around. He was done.

"Stay down punk and I won't have to beat your ass again."

"Cole! The hell are you doing?!"

"Stephanie? Bout time you came out of that rat hole."

Stephanie came running out of the runoff to see what all the ruckus was. She kneeled down next to the guy I had just taken down.

"Damn Lance, Cole beat you good. Your nose is fucked up."

"Shut up Bunny."

Lance was the name Stephanie gave me earlier. I couldn't believe this asshole was the guy who was supposed to help me. So far all he did was sucker punch me and instigate a fight. What was this about a bunny though?

"Lance, I need your help or rather Cole needs your help."

Lance just looked at her and gave me an angry face in a weak attempt to intimidate me. Not like I had just finished giving him a beating. No no no, he was definitely scary... pft piss ant.

Anyway, sometime later I found myself sitting in the sewer in the same place as Lance and his friends. We were far enough from the main group that we could talk in private though. Most of the floor was muck from who knows how long ago and it wreaked like a swamp.

"Ok Bunny, I see what you mean. But why should I help?"

"Out of the kindness of your heart?"

"Like how- Cole was it? - was kind enough to attack me?"

"We already went over that, it was clearly your fault."

"Fine but you have to give me something to exchange..."

Lance reached out and started to stroke Stephanie's face. It was clear she didn't like it and didn't want anything to do with this guy. I figured that much out when she grabbed between his legs and started to squeeze, hard. Shit, I was hurting just looking at these two.

"You'll help because I'll turn you into a woman if you don't."

"Urk... fuck, Ok ok ok...I'll help..."

Stephanie released her grip and let him up to rummage through a toolbox near the main group.

"Damn Stephanie."

"What?"

"Never thought you'd deny flirting."

"You getting jealous sweety?"

"... What was that "bunny" thing about anyway?"

"I have two long pony tails and my legs let me jump around. I got the nickname from Lance."

"Whatever you say cottontail."

I leaned back and looked at the scowling face of Lance as he kept going through tools.

"Sure we can trust him?"

"Lance? Yeah, he may be an idiot sometimes but he's a good enough guy."

"Was busting his nuts really necessary?"

"He owes me for sparing his life when he attacked me. He'll let it go."

Before I could ask about her sparing his life, Lance interrupted and dropped his toolbox next to me.

"Alright, hold still and I'll pop this thing off in no time."

He started jamming a screwdriver into the back of my helmet. He wasn't gentle about it either, likely still holding a grudge for the fight. He was quiet while he worked and Stephanie lied her head on my lap. I didn't know what to do with myself so I just pat her head and ran my fingers through her hair. It seemed relaxing to her so I just kept doing it out of boredom.

"So Lance, what's your story?"

"Fuck you."

"Shit man, calm down. Want me to tell "Bunny" you don't want to play nice?"

In response, Stephanie Raised her arm up and made a squeezing motion with her hand. Made Lance start talking in an instant.

"I'm a military man, I'm 25, I mostly scout and gather food."

He gave random facts but he was stressing over Stephanie's vice grip. Smart man to start talking.

"Tell Cole about your family Lance, don't ask. Just trust me on this."

Stephanie brought up family, a subject that nobody is comfortable with considering most people are without family now. I couldn't help but wonder why she would bring up something like that.

"... I had a wife and daughter. Wife died, my daughter Anna is hunkered down in the military base not far from here..."

Now I saw why she brought it up. She wants us to find common ground.

"I'm sorry Lance, I lost my girlfriend to a witch. My baby girl is in the base too."

Lance froze for a moment and kept quiet, trying to come up with something to say. He came up with nothing so I spoke for him.

"How'd you'll lose your wife?"

"When... when the infection was just starting alot of soldiers headed home to protect their families instead hold position. I was one of them. By the time we left for the base to get to safety, the first special infected were starting to appear. My wife was one of the first to be taken by them and she turned on us. I had to shoot her to keep my daughter Anna safe..."

"How long ago was that?"

"Dunno, long time though."

"Well how did you become infected?"

"Taking Anna to the base, we were attacked by a tank, Anna got to the base safely but the tank infected me when I shoved a grenade in his mouth. Blew bone fragments straight into me."

"Shit, my brother dragged me out of a tree when I was hunting and turned me."

"Gotta love family."

Things finally started to relax around us. While he started taking apart my helmet, we kept going on about what had happened to us. His story was so similar to mine. Apparently there were plenty of people in our boat. People who abandoned their post to stay with their family and protect them but ultimately failed. Only difference was the names we all used.

"Almost got it."

By now, Lance had removed a majority of the helmet and half my face was exposed. After removing the last part I got a big wholesome whiff of the sewer and shivered. These two didn't mind it at all, they just stared at my face, Lance just looked at me weird and as for Stephanie, well she showed her approval in a hurry by pouncing on me and hugging me.

"Shit! Easy Stephanie, I'm not a plush toy."

"I know but you are sooo cute!"

"Ah jeez."

Lance kneeled down to me and gave me a blank look. Creeped me out.

"Cole, you said your kid was at the base too, right?"

"Yeah, and?"

"A horde is attacking there later."

"No, we saw it destroy itself."

"How many were there?"

"Not sure, there were close to twenty-ish bodies."

"That's not the horde going for the base! Fuck! Get up the both of you, we need to go now!"

Lance grabbed us both by the arms and dragged us out of the sewer, his friends didn't seem to care and let him go. When we finally made it outside he just darted off and yelled for us to follow him. I looked to Stephanie who shrugged and we followed after him.

"The hell is wrong with you Lance?!"

"Shut up and keep running Cole! You wanna save your girl, right?!"

"Out with it, what's going on?!"

Lance didn't slow down to speak, he just yelled every word to us telling us about another horde. A bigger one than before that was heading for the base. He had been tracking these hordes every time they came within the area, trying to keep his daughter safe. Most either killed eachother or he killed personally. This one on the other hand was too big for him to stand a chance and too organized for him to believe they would end the same as the rest.

"Why the hell didn't you say something sooner jackass?!"

"I was planning to join in the attack and get my daughter out of there in all the confusion! I was going to go after getting back to the runoff but I thought you were going to attack my friends and so I got distracted!"

Stephanie smacked us both in the back of our heads and started yelling at us to shut up and get moving if we wanted to save our kids. Without complaints or back talk, we ran faster hoping to beat the horde.

For the first time in a long time, I felt tears run down my cheeks. It was the thought of the last precious thing I had in the world being taken away that brought it on.

By the time we reached the base, it was a horror to see, buildings were up in flames, gun shots and screams could be heard echoing. None of us thought for a moment and either smashed through the gate or jumped over the fence. It looked worse on the inside, the infected chewed on the dead bodies and banged on the doors. I didn't see any children though nor did I see Enid.

"Lance, left side! Clear out the infected! Stephanie, you're with him, go!"

They heeded my orders and charged through the infected crushing as many as they could, leaving me with the right side. This base was ruined, even if we cleared the infected out, there was no way to salvage anything here let alone a safe haven. I decided when I found my daughter and Enid, they were coming with me and I would keep them safe, even at the cost of my life I would find them and protect them.

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**I said I had a reason for the dull ending to the last chapter, false security! Still so many things to come, new infected, new enemies, new allies, and a shit ton of violence! The way a zombie apocalypse should be!**


	4. Chapter 4

**When I finished Ever Evolving and started getting messages from people wanting more, I was expecting people to care about what I was writing next. Only 1 review a chapter is a bit depressing in comparison. C'mon guys, I write for you all. When only a handful of people say anything to me, I just don't feel motivated. Anyway, heres your next chapter. Read, Review, Enjoy...**

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The smell of burning flesh and the screams of infected and humans alike filled the air. I couldn't quite grasp yet how this all happened. My mind was racing while my body was moving unconsciously trying to find Enid and Alice. I hacked and slashed past every infected that was within three feet of me. Less of them hunting for humans, the more likely I'd find my daughter before them.

When I came to the first door I opened, I had to take cover because I was welcomed in with a wall of bullets. I kept trying to lean and get a peak in but the moment they saw me they fired.

"Hey bro, you wanna get in there you need to find a vent or something."

Some hunter came walking up to me covered in blood from a fresh kill and he strut like a cocky fuck.

"Vent huh? I got a better idea..."

Before the hunter had the chance to respond and ask to get in on my idea, I drove me claw through him and raised him off his feet. He squirmed and struggled but he was already hooked on. With this infected, I turned and faced the people who were inside as they opened fire again. This time my new meat shield gave me cover and lent me a few seconds to scan the room.

I didn't see Enid or a child in there, I was wasting my time. The next house I entered was up in flames but I heard something from inside nor did I see anything. Another waste of my time. The mere seconds were pressing on me, making angrier and more impatient.

As I ran out the door and searched the area more, I spotted a small squad of troops bulling back and blocking citizens. If they were rounding up citizens to protect them then maybe Alice was with them. I took a quick look around to see about finding a vantage point, best I found was just on top of the roofs so I got to climbing.

The closest building was the one I had just left and it was up in flames, now wasn't the time to be picky though and I started digging into the wall with my claw and launching myself upward as fast as I could. It didn't take long to get to the top and start running to the spot where I had seen the soldiers. I felt the heat of the fires inside with each step I took, even through my boots I felt it burning me.

It wasn't surprising the roofs starting to give way to my additional weight, I could almost hear the wood creaking and breaking. I figured it out too late though and fell through the roof. My claw hooked into the roof and I was dangled over the pyre inside. I tried to pull myself up but each time I got my hand up I just broke off more roofing.

I could feel the roofing my claw was dug in starting to weaken and crack. I wasn't ready to die, I didn't want to die, I wanted to be with my daughter, I wanted to protect her. I had nearly stopped trying when I heard a scream. It was Enid's voice. I couldn't hear her words over the sound of flames. I could only make out a few words. "-I'll keep them safe-". She was still fighting to protect Alice. What kind of man would I have been if I had just given up? I reached up again and again tearing away more loose roofing until I grasped a part that was secure. I pulled myself up and got to me feet again.

I continued my run to the end of the block and heard another scream from Enid. Once I reached the edge of the final house, I saw her trying to fight off the infected on her own. The soldiers that were with her were now a pile of corpses. She was back to wearing her military uniform and using her M16. Behind her though was my daughter, my dear Alice. With her was another girl, a bit older and holding on tightly to Alice. Could she be Anna, Lance's little girl? My mind snapped back to Enid who was reloading her rifle. As she got the magazine she was grabbed by a common. I jumped down and slashed it in two and scaring the them all.

"C-Cole?! Where did you come from?!"

"Ms. Vasten, it's another monster!"

"Shhh Anna, this one is nice. He won't hurt us."

My daughter pulled her face from her friend and looked up at me. I swear I saw her eyes glow for a second when she looked at me. I was overcome with such joy and relief as she ran to me and hugged me again. I missed her so much.

"Daddy! Where were you?! The monsters are hurting people!"

I nuzzled her as I always did before I left to try and reassure her and keep her from crying another tear. I just wanted to hold her forever and not let one thing harm her. I held her tighter as she buried her face into the chest of my uniform deeper. Even in the midst of all this chaos, I found bliss in just hugging my daughter. I think I actually even began to forget where I was. That was until a charger grabbed my from behind and pinned me against a wall.

"What do you think you're doing punk?! We are attacking the humans not eachother!"

"I'm not with you assholes! Stephanie! Lance! I found them!"

"Shut your mouth!"

I reached for his head with my claws but he ducked back out of my reach and slammed me into the ground. With him being out of reach, I went for his arm. My claws dug in deeps but caught on his bone. As I heard him wail he tightened his grip around me, breaking a few ribs. I made a mistake attacking him, cause now in his anger he was beginning to smash me into the pavement repeatedly.

"Well what now fucker?! You ain't getting away from me!"

"..."

"Say something you little shit!"

"Look up..."

"I ain't falling for tha-"

Stephanie and Lance heard me and came promptly to help. Just wish it had been before my ribs were being destroyed. Stephanie had dropped onto his back and sank her teeth deep into his collar bone where she injected her venom. It was enough for me to loosen my claws from his arm and to make him release me as well. I was freed entirely. Lance came next to the fight with a busted up stop sign in his hands. One swing was all it took for him to take the charger's head clean off.

With that issue dealt with Lance had his reunion with his own daughter. Stephanie crouched down next to me to see how badly I was hurt. It was pointless though, she knew that no matter what I could keep going and fighting as much as I wanted to. Still, it was nice to have someone concerned over me.

"You have 3 broken ribs and a big bruise here Cole. How did you let that charger do this to you?"

"I was having a touching moment and he surprised me. Got unlucky too, claw got hooked."

"Can you move? The main body of the horde is coming this way and we need to go now!"

I stood up straight without flinching from the pain to show her I was fine and she didn't need to be worried.

"I'll be fine, I want you and Lance to get them out of here now. Leave the horde to me."

"Hell no!"

"Go now!"

"There's too many! I'm not just letting you kill yourself when you can run and stay alive!"

"Shut up! Either they all die or they will follow. Food is hard to come by so there is no way they will just let us go."

"Then I'm staying too!"

I was being honest with her, the horde had to die or they would follow us. This wasn't just me playing hero, this was for survival. Stephanie was an idiot though and couldn't just stay out of my way and keep safe. It was infuriating, her persistence. So I smacked her across her face.

"Enough dammit! You won't last and I need you to help Lance get the girls to safety! I'm not letting them kill me so quit being a child and go! Now!"

She just stood there holding her cheek and her eyes beginning to water. She closed her eyes and nodded with a serious look on her face.

"You die and I'm kicking your ass Cole."

"I die and you'll have to come find me in hell."

Her mouth formed a smile and she directed Lance to take the lead out and herded the girls toward the gates. As for me, I walked down the street and saw a swarm of infected looking straight at me.

"Hey assholes! I'm going to gut the lot of you!"

They knew who I was and who my friends were. They knew what I had done already to most of their horde. Just looking at me pissed them off. To provoke them even more I flipped them the bird and as soon as a few came running at me more decided to join until the entire horde was on me.

"This is going to be fun..."

The first three leaped at me baring their teeth to me. One sweep of my claws cleaved them all. Next were a few chargers and boxers, I jumped to dodge the charges and landed on top of the boxers, the best spot for ripping their heads off. More and more of the infected rushed me. One by one, two by two, and three by three I slashed through them and tore them all apart.

In the midst of the fighting I felt something I hadn't in so long. When I finally was free it was exciting but not fulfilling. This was what I had been missing since I was free, the blood and carnage. I was a fighter, always was a fighter. I was never going to be killed, I could feel it. It was exhilarating! The longer the fight went on the stronger this feeling became. Each kill made me attack faster and stronger. I... I felt my heart beat... just once.

"You are all fucked you little piss ants!"

I blacked out soon after, whether it was from exhaustion or getting taken down I wasn't sure. It was raining when I came to and I was covered head to toe in blood and wounds. It was a hell of a sight, all those bodies on the ground. Some humans from before I had arrived but most were infected I had killed myself. Now that the fight was over I wasn't so happy about it all anymore. I was just disgusted with it and myself for being the one who did it.

I stood there in a trance, looking at those bodies. I started thinking, maybe I shouldn't be a father, maybe I really was a monster like the other infected. The way I had savored the violence and blood certainly matched the description of a monster.

My mind left that matter for another time when I heard the thunder crashing. Whatever I was , monster or not, my goal was protect Alice and I intend to do just that. It was time to catch up and meet them all in the sewer. My first step made me collapse from pain, I was holding my sides and coughing up blood. I tried again to stand and walk. This time when I took a step I did not collapse but I screamed in pain and spat up even more blood. I took another step, It hurt just as much but I held it in and kept going.

I have no idea how long it took me to reach the bridge where the runoff was but when I reached it I had no easy way down with my wounds so I just dropped into the river. I landed in the water without making much of a splash and hooked my claws to the shore where the runoff pipe was located and dragged myself out of the water. My vision was beginning to blur and I wobbled left to right, using the sewer walls to prop myself up. Eventually I just fell over from exhaustion and blood loss, luckily I was caught by Lance who threw me over his shoulder before I passed out.

It must have been a while between then and when I woke up. I was asleep long enough to start dreaming. It was all about my little girl and me playing in the woods. I was seeking while she tried to hide from me. It was so peaceful and I loved it and I love her.

My nap ended abruptly when my eyes shot open to see the cement ceiling of the sewers. When I tried to sit up I could feel something squirming around next to me. In my head I was praying. "Please god don't let that be Lance." Thankfully when I looked down it was Stephanie asleep and drooling on me. It reminded me of our first meeting when she tried to kill me.

"Hey. Hey Stephanie. Open your eyes already!"

"Huh?! I'm awake!"

"So I see."

"Cole! You're alright!"

Stephanie was bawling when she saw me awake and caused a commotion by hugging me and shouting at me for being an idiot. It got some attention and brought Alice to me. She was just the same as Stephanie, crying while she hugged me. Hurt like hell with the both of them pressing against my wounds but I didn't care.

Lance came walking over with Enid beside him and his own daughter holding his hand.

"Welcome to the land of the living sir."

He stood up straight and saluted me like a damn war hero. He was hardly serious about it judging from the smirk on his stupid face but he earned the right to act like stupid since he dragged my half dead ass here.

"Ok girls, can you get off me that hurts. Heh heh ow ow..."

Stephanie stopped but Alice didn't, she couldn't understand my growls and snarls. Now that I thought about it, she never heard me talk before but now that she did hear me, she didn't seem to care. With her unable to understand me I had to grab her shoulders and gently push her off. She looked up at me with a confused face, all I could do was give her a smile and kiss her forehead. It was enough for her to stop hugging me and just sit down next to me to play with her stuffed rabbit.

"Stephanie, we need to talk."

"What is it? Lance knows how to treat wounds better than me so if you're hurting-"

"No, it isn't that."

Though now that she had mentioned it, my uniform had been removed and my wounds were stapled shut. It looked grizzly and hurt like fuck but I doubt he had a med-kit to work with.

"Remember when you told me that uniques are still working on the inside?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"I felt my heart beat."

"Holy shit! Let me hear it!"

Stephanie reached out her hand to my chest and started leaning towards me. I stopped her short, I had questions and the only one who could give me answers was her.

"Focus Stephanie."

"Right sorry."

"How is this possible?"

"I suppose I can tell you. You know the 3 reactions to the flu right?"

"Nothing for those lucky to be immune, infection for the unlucky, and mutation which makes the specials."

"Right! Well the infected are are decaying bodies, so are the specials. Specials are just a combination of infection and mutation. That's why they are susceptible to mental decay and go crazy. We uniques don't have that decay part of the infection. We are purely the mutation part of it, we aren't dead like other infected. We never did die and come back. Our bodies do tend to go through some afflicting side effects though. No heart beat is one of them, but we can get them going again with enough adrenaline."

She went on and on about how we are different from the infected. Why we are stronger, faster and smarter. She described in great detail as if she had been studying this for her entire life. It was all alot to take in. Then came the part about how she actually learned all this. She helped a unique give birth. When I heard that my mind went blank, I thought she was playing a sick joke. Apparently that unique was a researcher at one point who studied the flu and tried to find a cure, that's how she knew all this.

"Enough..."

"But Cole..."

"Please, just let me have some time to process this... Wait a second, is that why you are always trying to get me to fuck you?!"

"Not really, though the idea of a little me is nice. Raise her to be a real hellian!"

"...You are fucking nuts."

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**Ok, show of hands, who the hell saw that coming? Don't ask why I wanted to put it in, just felt like it! Anyway, leave a review and tell me what you think of this development. I really want some feed back so I can improve.**


	5. Chapter 5

**I just don't want to keep writing, I'm feeling really drained and tired of this. Maybe my hiatus wasn't long enough, I don't know. Whatever it is I just don't feel like doing anything. Could be a lack of motivation. Sure it doesn't matter though since I'm still churning out these chapters for you guys. Oh well. Still no new infected this chapter, next chapter will have one though. Lets get this going then. Read, Review, Enjoy.**

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Everything seemed peaceful as I slept, the kids were cuddled next to Enid while they slept as well, Stephanie was drawing on the walls out of boredom with some chalk she found. It was nice until I heard Lance yelling at the other spartans who had been keeping their distance from us since we first came here. It was enough to wake me and the girls. Enid was startled enough to ready her rifle and prepare for violence. When I rolled over to look at Lance, he was locking eyes with another much larger spartan that was looking down on him. With a grunt he backed off and came back to us.

"Bad news guys, seems the village doesn't want to raise a child."

"The hell are you talking about? You woke me up..."

"Sorry Cole but we need to leave before the others get angrier."

"Fine, just gimme a sec to get up. Still hurting you know..."

I held my sides tightly to keep my wounds from opening again. Stephanie got under my arm and helped me to move. She had a face confirming she was just as confused about what was happening as I was. Lance walked over to Enid and the girls and let out a deep and freakish screech of a voice. It almost sounded like a wounded dog.

_"Come... we leave... not safe here... come."_

They actually did as he said almost as if they knew what to do. No, it was more like they understood him. Lance took the lead and started off through the tunnels with the girls close behind him. Taking the rear was me and Stephanie.

"So Cole..."

"Yeah?"

"If you want I can get you drunk, might help with the pain."

"No, can't do that infront with my daughter here."

"We can slow until we are a good distance away then we can do it."

"Just keep going... I don't want to get lost in here."

Stephanie was right though, a drink of venom could help me to get through this more easily but I was afraid of what Alice would think if she saw. That and I was scared Stephanie would take advantage of me if I had too much. I've never feared an infected except for her for that one reason, she was smart and cunning and knew how to get what she wanted.

I heard Lance shout back to us though hoping to get a drink himself. Stephanie just gave him an answer with a threat and insult of the most vulgar kind. Made me glad we couldn't be understood by humans. But that did make me think again though about Lance and how he spoke earlier. He was understood. I didn't know how it was possible. No infected can speak to humans once they turn.

After leaving the runoff we just stopped, Lance was looking around and scratching his head trying to figure out what to do.

"We break here."

We left the tunnels just to be more exposed in the open for fuck sake! Lance was a complete and total jackass. Still it gave us time to eat. Well it gave Enid and the kids time to eat, we infected didn't have anything to eat. Enid reached into her pockets and gave both of the girls what little she had. It wasn't enough though, they ate all there was in moments and were still hungry. It was time to get food if we were going to travel with humans. I called over Lance who sat down next to me and started checking my wounds.

"Sorry about the rough wake up Cole. My so called friends didn't want anything to do with harboring humans. If we stayed they'd have turned on us."

"Don't worry about that, there's something else that needs our attention."

"What's that?"

"Know any places that might have food?"

"That's what you wanted to talk about?"

"Yes, now can you think of anywhere? I've been imprisoned for five years so I have no idea where to start."

"Shit, well we could try to salvage what we can from the ruins of the base. Not sure what we can find there but it might be the best chance for food."

"Then we head there asap."

"Why?"

All I needed to do to answer him was raise my finger and point to his daughter who was hanging tightly onto Enid asking if she had anymore food. His expression quickly turned depressed and he understood immediately what the food was for.

"Alright. We go when your ready to move."

"I'm ready now."

"I'll get the girls."

Again He spoke to them sounding like a dying animal and this time I paid close attention to his voice. I did my best to figure out how he could speak to them. Nothing came to mind though so I decided to ask directly.

"Stephanie, take the lead. We need you to keep your eyes and ears open in the open like this."

"Sure thing sweetie!"

"Lance, I need your help to walk, we take the rear."

Lance merely nodded to me when he finished speaking to Enid. When they started following Stephanie, Lance pulled me up and let me lean on him. Now was the best time to ask him how he can speak to humans.

"What did you say to Enid and the girls?"

"I told them "follow the skinny one with the legs"."

"How did you?"

"I just said-"

"No, how did they understand you? No infected has the ability to speak to humans."

"All infected have the ability assuming they still have the smarts and a jaw. All you need to speak any language is-"

"Lungs, vocal cords and a tongue..."

"You took linguistic lessons from Vasten too?"

"Yeah, Enid is his granddaughter. She dragged me to take lessons when I met her. That was before the infection though."

"Damn."

"Can you teach me?"

"To speak to humans? Well, I don't know. I'm a horrible teacher."

I hung my head is depression, I thought I wouldn't learn to speak to my daughter. Lance stared at me for a moment before speaking again in that voice. I was too deep in my own thoughts to pay attention, until Alice walked next to me and grabbed my left hand.

"Daddy, do you know your ABC's?"

I looked down at her in confusion before Lance whispered to me that my own daughter could teach me. She was still learning grammar from Enid so he thought it'd help if I learned alongside her. I must admit, the thought of learning with my daughter was encouraging. Lance is still an asshole for not wanting to teach me himself though, still he had good intentions.

I gripped her hand firmly into mine and she walked closer to me lying her head against my arm. Enid looked back at us and giggled. It was odd seeing someone other than the infected smiling with the world in ruination. It was a nice change though. Now that I looked to everyone, they were all smiling. Smiling to keep sane, smiling to keep strong, smiling to keep the others from worrying. Maybe they were just smiling because of who they were surrounded by. Before too long I could feel a smile even come across my face. Ruined city or not, I don't think we cared.

Alice was latched to me the entire time. It was nice having her hug me without guards tearing her from me, I cherished every second until we reached what was left of the base. The fires were finally out from all the rain but I still could smell the bodies burnt to a crisp. Alice already saw all of that during the attack. I don't know if Enid kept her from seeing it before or not but I wasn't going to let her go back in there just so she can get traumatized.

"Lance, I want you to take Stephanie in there to help you look for food."

"What about you?"

"I'll keep the girls company out here..."

"Hm I see, right then. Bunny, you're with me."

Lance let go of me and I dropped into a sitting position. Alice sat on my lap and leaned against me while she started humming. She waved bye to Lance and Stephanie as they went through the gate, or what was left of it, and started their search for food. Lance's daughter Anna came up to me and Alice and sat down.

"Hey Alice, this guy is your day right?"

"Yep!"

"Whys his hand look like that?"

She pointed down to my hooked claws and Alice looked down at them. Then she gave the best answer I could ever hope for.

"So he can fight the monsters and keep us safe!"

She was smiling so big as she answered like she knew I was the strongest person in the world. It wasn't that she thought I was strong that made me happy, it was that smile of hers and her confidence in me.

"My dad is strong too you know, he protected us when those things attacked the base."

"So did mine!"

They started to argue about who was stronger, me or Lance. I wasn't sure how to make them stop since I still couldn't speak to them. Lucky for me Enid came over to help me out.

"Ok you two, you wanna know who's stronger?"

They both nodded to her in reply and then she cupped her mouth and whispered in to each's ear. I heard her every word. She told Anna that Lance was strongest and told her to not let Alice know. Then she whispered to Alice that I was strongest and not tell Anna what she had just said. They both snickered at eachother and quit their bickering. Enid had become like a mother in the time she had cared for them so they responded well to her and she knew just what to say.

Alice started her humming again, it was a sweet tune that I was enjoying, then it started to change, it sounded like the lullaby from five years ago. I started to hum with her and she became delighted in hearing it. Enid sat down next to me and started humming along with us. Even Anna joined in. I guess Enid learned it before the breakout and started using it. If anyone saw this moment, it would inspire confusion, or perhaps hope. An infected singing along with humans wasn't the most normal sight.

"Hey guys, you having a concert without us?"

We were greeted by Lance and Stephanie who were carrying large bags on their backs. They were actually successful in finding the food storage.

"Damn guys, you didn't waste any time."

When Lance put down one of the bags of food, Anna and Alice raced to see what was brought to them. It was like Christmas morning to them as they pulled out all those bags of preserved meats and cheeses. Then Enid ruined it by opening a can of fruit for them. I let out a laugh that sounded like a smoker's cough. It was weird but I don't think any infected had laughed so I was a bit surprised by it. Nobody else seemed to care though. The girls were too preoccupied by the food, Enid was preoccupied by the girls, Lance watching over Anna, and Stephanie hugging Alice because she thinks shes adorable.

While they enjoyed themselves I couldn't help but start wondering what was left in there, the homes were burned down, the soldiers were killed, and anyone still alive had left. Now it was a graveyard of ashes.

"Lance come here a second."

"What's up Cole?"

"Did you see the colonel's body in there?"

"I saw alot of soldiers in there."

"What about the colonel?"

"Dunno."

"Fuck."

If there was no body then there was no way to confirm he was dead. The colonel would never let something like this stop him. Odds are he is either out hunting infected with any remaining soldiers because they have no hope left or they're trying to protect what civilians are left. I wasn't confirmed dead either so he likely thinks I'm doing the same. Lance sat infront of me and started asking what was wrong so I told him that the colonel was likely to be hunting for us. If he found us he would kill him, Stephanie, and myself and take the girls to try and protect them.

"No sweat Cole, you may be in shit shape but if we run into the prick, I'll rip him in half! It'll be easy for someone with my strength."

"Good to see you're so confident. Just remember our priority is keeping Enid and the kids safe at all costs. We aren't going to go hunt for the colonel or any other remnants of the military."

"Sure thing."

Lance was right though, I was in no shape to fight if we did get attacked. We had to find some place we could defend, a new home where we could find food easily, maybe even go hunting for wildlife. Then it hit me, the one place that met all those requirements already existed. I'd been there before I was captured, it was in the woods where there was plenty of animals to hunt and it was secluded enough for us to not be bothered. The old cabin where I found Jenny.

I called over both Stephanie and Lance and explained my plan to them. They were quick to agree it would be the best place to safely live. Lance went on to tell Enid about it. She wasn't so excited about it because of the fact it belonged to me and Jenny. Maybe it would bring memories to her. It took a moment for her to come around to the idea. Only problem now was the girls were tired out and unwilling to move. Lance took them both and placed them onto each of his shoulders and let them use his arms to lay their heads on. It looked awkward seeing Lance like that but he was just trying to be a good father I suppose. Both Stephanie and Enid dragged me to my feet and helped me to walk.

It was finally starting, we were going to find a home. It was funny just to think such a thing while we just casually strolled through hell. It was going to be a long trip and the fact that my memory of the place was five years old would only make it harder to find. It was our best bet though, without the protection of the sewer we had to find somewhere else. We wouldn't be able to travel with children, it'd be too dangerous for them.

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**So now Cole is going to be learning to speak human language from his five year old daughter... yup... Oh and they are now heading for that old cabin. There's that too. Hmm... a grown man with less intelligence than his own five year old child and a whole band of friends are going to his cabin in a forest. Part of me wants to say bad 80's horror movie plot and another part wants to say it sounds like a setup to alot of hillbilly jokes.**


	6. Chapter 6

**I will finally be starting the anime fanfic. It has been too long since the poll ended and I haven't even told you guys the name of the anime. I promise though, right when this chapter goes up so will the first of the anime fanfic. Right, anyway. So last time Cole decided on taking everyone to someplace safe, namely his old cabin. Also Cole is going to learn to speak human again from his own daughter. Can't wait to hear his first words. Let's start this up then. This chapter's infected is one of my own creations. Read, Review, Enjoy!**

**Bio: Abuser **

**Classification: Unique**

**The Abuser is purely an aggressive infected that is in every way a savage even among the infected. Through constant self abuse it has shattered its own bones time and time again, each time repositioning it. This has resulted in numerous bone fragments jutting from the skin which it has lost all feeling in. It has completely healed after each broken bone so it is capable of all basic movements (walking, running, punching, etc.). The wounds still tend to bleed and ooze puss slightly but not enough to cause any harm to the abuser. It does however cause a strong rotting scent once the fluid leaves the body. It prefers to tackle any prey to the ground then tear into them with the bone fragments. It will not hide its presence, it will attack the moment it spots a victim and will not give up pursuit until the victim is dead or it is too injured too continue. Though it is no more than a brute it does not lack the intelligence to know when to run. After recouperating it will continue with its attack.**

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Tired... That's all I felt as we walked onward. The faces of my friends showed they felt the same. We had made alot of progress though, we were nearing the train tracks with the boxcar where Stephanie, Cass, and myself once stayed. That meant we would soon reach the edge of the forest.

"Everyone, stop... Just stop, we need to rest."

Hearing my orders, everyone fell to the ground and began to either sleep immediately or sit and eat. Anna and Alice were the exceptions since they were riding on Lance's shoulders. Alice came running to me and sat infront of me, eager to begin with my first language lessons.

"Ok Daddy! I'm going to help you talk so be ready!"

I simply smiled and nodded to show I was ready. Honestly I was far from ready, all I wanted to do was drop dead an sleep like the others. I didn't want to disappoint her though so we began. She started with simple words and syllables. I couldn't say any of it right though, it all came out as grunts and snarls. Each time I got it wrong she would wave her arms in the air and fuss over it.

"Come on! You can do it! Say "Al-ice", now say it."

I did my best but it came out gurgled and the most I said was _"Al-ugh"_. Just the fact I got a tiny bit right was enough to make her happy and ecstatic. I sounded worse than Lance when I tried to speak though. It was unpleasant hearing my new voice but Alice didn't seem to mind it. We continued going through syllables and simple words until my throat started hurting.

Enid walked over carrying some food and sat next to me with a concerned look on her face.

"Alice, sweetie, I need to talk with your daddy for a minute. Can you go play with Anna for a bit?"

"Mm hmm."

"... Cole, are you sure it'll be safe there? I don't mean to be the skeptic but it just seems too good to be true. How can it be safe?"

I wasn't ready to use words so I did my best with gestures, first pointing to the city and then the forest in the distance.

"I know we're going to the forest to leave the city but that doesn't explain anything!"

I wasn't sure how to tell her that it'd be better this way but I did what I could. Without Lance to translate for me since he was asleep I had to keep making gestures. Next I held both my hands face up in front of me. Enid just looked at me confused so I started moving them up and down like scales.

"You mean choices?"

I nodded to her.

"So you chose the forest over the city? How do you know it's any better there than the city?"

I had no idea how to answer her. I knew the answer though just couldn't say it.

"Well?"

Enid was beginning to grow impatient and wanted an answer then and there. I had no choice, I lifted my wound dressings and showed her my still healing gashes. She covered her mouth and had this sick look on her face. She understood how badly I was hurt, that was the first part. Then I pointed to the city and my wounds. She realized how it had happened but she still wan't convinced, she might've thought I wanted to leave out of my own fear. She just looked at me with a scowl and tried to get up but I grabbed her arm and pulled her down to me and wrapped my arms around her to keep her there. She didn't struggle or say anything. She wasn't going to understand my gestures so I did what I could to speak.

_"Ci-ugh-ty... pa-ern...pain... Al-ugh... Alice..."_

I continued muttering to her, the longer I took trying to speak the more her face changed from angry to confused and finally to understanding.

"Even if being in the city is a risk Cole, how do you know the forest will be any better? You still haven't answered that."

The words to answer that just wouldn't leave my mouth. I tried again and again to say what I wanted but it was no good. It came out as just more inaudible grunts and growls. I decided to give up on trying to reassure her and released her. The only way she was going to believe it was safer was I show her.

Some time passed with Alice still trying to teach me again. Anna was sleeping under Lance's arm and Stephanie and Enid were just staring at eachother. Stephanie made alot of stupid faces at Enid trying to make her crack a smile but she had a serious scowl on her face as she stared at Stephanie. She knew Lance and I each had a reason to keep them safe but she didn't know who Stephanie was or why she was there.

I was enjoying myself until the sound of gunfire echoed. We weren't the ones being fired on but we all knew it was within a close vicinity. We even heard grenades going off. Lance jumped up when the sounds hit him. I signaled them all to keep quiet. I was feeling better like I could move again so I had Lance take over as the watchdog for the girls and told Stephanie that she and I were going scout it out. She jumped to the top of buildings and started to run to the sound while I ran there on foot.

The gunfire was closer than I thought. We found a squad of soldiers, likely what was left of the base, fighting off infected just back down the road we had come from. We kept ourselves hidden to watch as things began to unfold. It was a bloody mess on the infected side. Nothing but commons were running at them, it was such a pitiful sight. But they were commons, I hadn't seen any commons since I was released. It was nothing but specials since I left. I had no clue where these things were coming from.

I thought everything was under control until I smelled the pungent scent of blood and bone marrow rotting. It was the smell of another infected, and it was a big one. The moment I saw it, it was charging straight through the soldiers out of nowhere. It was a giant with what looked like shrapnel covering its body. Just one of its punches tore the soldiers to shreds.

"Stand fast! We can't let this thing live!"

In the midst of the carnage I hear his voice. The voice that had tormented me for five long years of incarceration. The colonel. He was leading this small squad and he didn't look like it was going well for him. All the soldiers focused their fire on the massive infected and began to push it back. My mind went back to thinking they were going to win and it'd be best to leave now but again my I was wrong. He shouted out some gibberish and special infected started to swarm the area. Spitters and smokers first to break up the group then a few chargers to wreck the ones left. They were now scattered and now the specials came out of every nook and cranny as they started to eat. The colonel was forced to retreat with what men were still alive.

Stephanie and I had watched from a safe distance but we were still spotted by that thing that lead them. It just stared us down and we stared back. It didn't seem to care about us but it did start to follow the colonel. As long as it didn't come after us or go into the direction of the girls I didn't care about it either. Hell, if it was chasing the colonel then it had my full support.

Regardless of its goal though, we had to get moving again or we would be the next ones he chases down soon enough. I signaled Stephanie to follow me back to the others. The way back was uncomfortable and I could feel we were being followed. Unfortunately I was right, I just wasn't sure at the time. When we made it back the infected stopped hiding their presence and started rushing us from behind.

There were simply too many to fight off with me wounded so we did our best to get everyone moving. They were all shocked and paralyzed in fear for a moment before they let the situation process in their minds. When they came to they got moving quickly enough. I took the lead with Enid, Anna, and Alice tailing behind me. In the rear, Lance and Stephanie were covering us doing their best to keep the infected off us. I was just thankful that the large infected from before wasn't joining in.

We realized pretty fast that we weren't going to get away from these things and they were just going to follow us til we were dead. That's when Lance did the stupidest thing in the world. He decided to run back at the horde.

"Cole! Get them to safety! I'll handle this!"

"The fuck you say?! Are you insane?!"

"Like you're one to talk now move dammit!"

"Fuck!"

We had no time to argue. We had to let him do whatever the hell he wanted and keep running. Thing is he was right. I had no right to talk after what happened at the base. I had my time as a hero, now it was his turn. As we got farther and farther from him and the horde, we could see them all trying to pile on him but he didn't stop fighting. I remember wondering if that was what they saw when I did the same. I just hoped he would get out of it in better shape than I did.

It all happened so fast. I kept thinking to myself Lance would be fine but I was forcing those thoughts. What my mind was really telling me was he was gone, no more, dead. I thought that the infected didn't care about us. I didn't know why all those specials came for us, they just did out of the blue.

Even with Lance on our side, it was hard enough for me to fight and protect Alice. I couldn't imagine what would happen now. I was half dead myself and Stephanie was no head to head fighter. If we ran into more trouble we were fucked.

I almost didn't notice with all my thoughts that the one suffering most from his loss was his own daughter, Anna. She was crying and reaching back as if to try and bring her farther back to us. Enid was struggling to keep her grip and keep Anna from running back. She slowed us down too much and a special took advantage of it. It was a smoker who spat his tongue out and wrapped it around Anna's leg to try and pull her back.

Enid fought to hold on but lost her, she raised her rifle to her shoulder and began to open on the smoker and the horde behind him. She fired off the entire magazine and killed the smoker. Stephanie dashed to Anna and tossed her over her shoulder before running back to us. I took an example from her and grabbed my own daughter.

We continued to run, not that we had a choice. Looking back now, it was that thought that sparked so much more. The thought that we have no choice can always spark something.

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**Sorry guys, I just ain't feeling it lately. Don't want to keep going like this. A vacation would be nice right now. Sleep would be nice right now. I have horrible sleep habits. I can never make myself sleep for the full 8 hours. It'd be great if I could get the max 10 hours a day. Sorry for this shorter than normal chapter despite having the a couple weeks to write. I just have no motivation, no inspiration, nothing.**


	7. Chapter 7

**I'm just writing these bit by bit, day to day. Sorry about the slow progress but as I've said I have nothing to keep me going. I used to put out 2 or 3 chapters a week. On top of that now I'm having computer troubles so unfortunately this is all I'm able to give you for now. When the issues have been dealt with I'll be sure to give a full chapter. I was going to debut a new infected sent in by a reader but that will have to wait until next time, sorry.**

* * *

Turning back... Part of my psyche was gnawing on me, telling me, commanding me to turn back and help Lance. The rest of me was nothing but panic trying to get Alice as far away from that as possible. I couldn't take it anymore. I handed my daughter over to Enid and told them to keep going so I could go back. They kept going as they were told but going back wasn't going to help. When I faced back to the carnage I felt Lance's blood reach to my feet. He was already so far away and somehow he lost enough blood to reach me. It was almost as if he was trying to reach out to me, begging for help.

My eyes shot open to see the glaring sunlight above me and I sat up on the hard wooden wall below me. I looked around to see Enid feeding the girls from a can of fruits and Stephanie watching out for any infected atop the overturned boxcar.

"Oh, hey Cole. Bout damn time you woke up."

"Fuck off Stephanie, I'm in no mood."

"Yeah, I know. Did you have another nightmare?"

"...Yeah."

Stephanie jumped down to look me in the face. I could see in her eyes how much she was worrying about me over night. She pulled a rag from her back pocket and wiped the sweat from my head for me before helping me up. When Alice saw me getting up she ran over and hugged me tightly, keeping me glued to the floor. Seeing her smiling face was one of the few comforts left in this world. Still, it hurt me to see it. I knew it was fake, It'd only been two days since we lost Lance. She is such a strong girl. She was so scared but she put on her smile just to make me happy. Sadly it didn't always work.

"Smile Daddy! Smile!"

_"I will... tr-try... for you..."_

For the past couple days, I've been doing my best to learn how to speak again. Alice would keep telling me I was doing great and Enid would back her up by saying it was impressive how I was already speaking better than Lance was. It still hurt my throat alot to speak but now I could tell my daughter how much I loved her.

While she curled up next to me under my arm, I could feel a glare coming from Anna. When I looked over to her she didn't look away from me, she only intensified her glare. She lost her own father just days ago so I understood she was angry, but I wasn't sure why she was angry at me. Well, that wasn't entirely true. I felt my own share of guilt else I wouldn't have nightmares. I told myself over and over it was his idea to stay and fight. I didn't tell him to, I tried to make him come with us. Despite that though I felt guilt for not trying harder.

Before I could become lost in trying to convince myself Stephanie sat in front of me and began to, I dunno, report to me I guess. She explained how the entire area was clear and she even went to scout out the cabin. Not a single infected was between us and our destination. If we were going to go for it we had to leave soon.

"Alright, I get it Stephanie. Thanks."

"So when do we leave?"

"Tonight when the sun goes down, it'll be safer to move in the dark."

"Won't be too long til then, you've been sleeping all day."

Stephanie grinned and joined Alice in cuddling next to me. Just more proof how childish she was. Admittedly it was almost kind of cute seeing the both of them with such peaceful looks on their faces. I had just woken up so I sat there and held on to the both of them. Enid actually smiled when she saw us. It felt odd having her eyes on me but she shifted her attention to Anna.

The entire time we waited for dark, I watched Enid try to comfort Anna as Stephanie and Alice slept. Everything move she made, every song she sang, every joke, her every touch was ignored by the girl. She sat with Enid trying to get some kind of reaction from her but it was like talking to a corpse already. Even her eyes began to seemed foggy like she had died.

The sun had finally fallen completely and it was time to get moving again. I shook Stephanie and Alice awake and approached Enid and Anna who was still sitting there with a blank expression. The moment I kneeled down however, she turned to me with a scowl. Again I felt like she was still blaming me for what happened to her father so I said the only thing that came to my mind.

_"You're father... strong... He will... come... find you..."_

If the story I heard about how he got Anna to the base to begin with was true, then I believed that becoming stronger as an infected he'd be fine. That's what I told Anna anyway, felt more like I was trying to convince myself of that. Regardless she quit scowling and started to think to herself. Enid grabbed her hand and pulled her up.

After getting everyone out of the sideways boxcar we headed into the woods. Me and Stephanie were so attuned to the dark that it didn't affect us in the slightest, it the same as walking during the day for us. The other though didn't seem to like it. I had to hold Enid's hand as we walked and I had Alice riding on my shoulders. Enid was holding on to Anna as well because she didn't want her to hold onto my claw and she still didn't trust Stephanie in the slightest.

I almost wish I was just as blind, the further we went the more I started to see things. I remember thinking to myself that we might have been followed. All I could see was a silhouette though. I tried my best to ignore it as part of my imagination but I couldn't stop seeing it. I didn't think Stephanie was seeing it so I figured it was as I thought and my imagination was playing games with me.

I was still suffering from my wounds and it was wearing me down the further we went. I felt like I had reached heaven once I saw the cabin at last. It was standing tall and strong. It was a complete mess, covered in animal nests and god knows what but that didn't matter in the slightest. All that could be dealt with without any trouble.


End file.
